The Regillus -- the grand Beaux Arts building facing Lake Merritt in Oakland CA The first time I saw this 8-story condominium building, I was in love. It was like being transformed in time and place. It harkens to a New York state of mind.   Everything about this property is first class. Circular drive with cobbled stones. Beaux Arts architectural style with balconies and balustrades. Delightful gardens. Marble grand entrance. Formal lobby attended by a concierge. Formal salons overlooking the garden and Lake Merritt. A carriage building serving as parking garage.  Luxurious estate in an exquisite setting. Rare opportunity to buy at The Regillus When a rare 3 bedroom, 2 bath unit became available, I jumped at the opportunity to show this to my clients relocating from Ohio.  It was pure ... 12/09/2012

Now and then someone will ask me, “What’s a trustee sale like?” Trustee Sales or Foreclosure Trustee Sales in Alameda County are held at 1225 Fallon St. Oakland CA Monday through Friday from noon to 2 pm. It’s another real estate market, the last step in the foreclosure process. The investors gather at the courthouse steps. The auctioneer calls out the properties and begins the bidding. It’s hard to hear the auctioneer but the investors can hear him just fine. The buyers are savvy investors resembling a group of Vegas gamblers. In a sense they are gambling, and they are addicted to the thrill of the auction. The investors walk around with their papers letting no one see their numbers. Their homework done, they mill around waiting for the right deal. Each one has a way of checking out th... 02/11/2012

December 18, 2011. Slow open house doesn’t mean an unproductive day.Just because there were few people who came to my open house isn’t reason to call this day a loss. Au contraire!From my conversations with those who came, I found out that one couple currently owns a condo at The Essex on Lake Merritt in Oakland CA, and literally just one door away from one unit that I recently sold, and one floor below another sale this year. This is the view from those units. We had a good conversation about their wanting to move to our island city of Alameda CA. However, they have a quandary about their current condo which they bought at the peak. Although they can afford to keep up the monthly payments, they are contemplating just walking away.I hope that I was able to give them some things to think... 12/18/2011

The Essex is an impressive building overlooking Lake Merritt in Oakland CA. It iss located on a bend, and as such has views of nearly the entire lake.   The Essex is a relatively new complex that was started in 2001 and made a tremendous impact when it was completed in 2004. It was first introduced to the public as a 20-story luxury apartment complex with 270 units. I remember that when I inquired about rents, it reminded me of San Francisco prices where even the parking space had a price.     Not only is The Essex one of the tallest structures facing the lake, it also features tremendous amenities that continue to draw the buying public. The lakefront units have amazing views. In this case, the rule for valuing each unit is simple: the higher the floor, the better the view, and the hig... 09/06/2011

Why, or why, will some realtors still use someone else's picture to use in a listing, without at least attempting to see who took the picture and getting permission? This is a pet peeve. ,,,,since we now have so many digital cameras of all shapes and sizes, at all budget ranges... ....and since many phones today have high-quality, high megapixel built-in cameras... It smacks of laziness, lack of effort, lack of imagination, and in my opinion, a broken promise to do one's best to service a listing if one simply copies someone else's work, be it a photo or text description. It's not that hard, folks!  Even a non-professional photographer with an old camera (some folks simply use their phones) can take decent pictures. I took this photo using an "old" circa 2004 Lumix digital camera It was... 06/09/2011

OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA     OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA.  Its a hidden treasure in Oakland.  Located near Lake Merritt the Museum is a wonderful illustration of the diversity and charm of the State of California.  When it was built it was hailed as a museum that serves as a vibrant urban park and public space.  The Oakland Museum of California was created by City of Oakland when it merged three smaller museums, The Oakland Public Museum, Oakland Art Gallery and the Snow Museum of Natural History.  The museum's architecture, designed by Kevin Roche, combine three-tieres of galleries, terraces, patios, sculpture gardens, and ponds.     Built in 1969 as the Museum for the People the museum offers three continuous galleries, Art, History and Natural Sciences and changing special exhib... 04/13/2011

SPEECHLESS SUNDAY SPEECHLESS SUNDAY:  photo of a black crowned night heron looking for dinner on the grounds of the Oakland Musuem of California in Oakland.   The heron is sitting on a tree branch over a pond containing humengous coy and some smaller fish. 03/27/2011